Glossary of the Body in Japanese
The parts of the body are either targets or weapons. Know which is which.These are the parts of the body.
Body
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ago, n. | あご | Chin/jaw |
| ashi, n. | 足 | Foot / leg. Its on-yomi pronunciation is soku, as in sokutō. |
| ashikubi, n. | 足首 | Ankle (Literally: ‘foot neck’) |
| ashiyubi, n. | 足指 | Toe (Literally: ‘foot finger’). See yubi. |
| atama, n. | 頭 | Head. |
| chūsoku, n. | 中足 | The ball of the foot. |
| ganmen, n. | 顔面 | A person’s face. Outside the dōjō, use the term kao. |
| haishu, n. | 背掌 | The back of the hand. Opposite to the palm-heel (See shōtei). |
| haisoku, n. | 背足 | See sokuhai. |
| hara, n. | 腹 | Abdomen. |
| hiji, n. | 肘 | Elbow. |
| hirate, n. | 平手 | Open hand / palm. Not in Shihan Gilbert’s book. |
| hitosashiyubi, n. | 人差し指 | Index finger. See yubi. |
| hiza, n. | 膝 | Knee. |
| hizō, n. | 脾臓 | Spleen. |
| kakato, n. | かかと | Heel. |
| kansetsu, n. | 関節 | Joint (knee, elbow) |
| karada, n. | 体 | Body. |
| kata, n. | 肩 | Shoulder. Not to be confused with kata 型 (pattern/form). |
| komekami, n. | こめかみ | Temple (of the head). |
| kote, n. | 小手 | Forearm (Literally: ‘small hand’) |
| kubi, n. | 首 | Neck. |
| mizo-ochi, n. | 鳩尾 | Solar plexus. |
| momo, n. | 股 | Thigh. Not to be mistaken with momo, n. |
| nakayubi, n. | 中指 | Middle finger. See yubi and naka |
| nodo, n. | のど | Throat. |
| oyayubi, n. | 親指 | Thumb. |
| sakotsu, n. | 鎖骨 | Collarbone, clavicle. |
| shu, n. | 手 | The on-yomi pronunciation of 手, te (hand). Used in compound words such as shutō (knife hand) and akushu (handshake). |
| shōtei, n. | 掌底 | The heel of the palm. |
| soku, n. | 足 | on-yomi pronounciation of ashi (leg/foot). |
| sokuhai, n. | 足背 | The bridge of the foot. May also be known as “haisoku.” |
| sokutei, n. | 足底 | The arch of the foot. May also be known as “teisoku.” |
| sune, n. | すね | Tibia/lower-leg |
| te, n. | 手 | Hand. Its on-yumi pronounciation is shu, as in shutō (手刀) “knife-hand.” |
| teisoku, n. | 底足 | See sokutei. The arch of the foot. |
| uchi mata, n. | 内股 | Inner thigh. Also refers to the kick to the inner thigh or jūdō throw to the inner thigh. See uchi. mata is synonymous with momo. |
| ude, n. | 腕 | Arm. |
| yubi, n. | 指 | Finger. |